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How sugar
affects our brain?
See the answer in the video
below:
Refined sugar increases blood sugar
levels, and inhibits the production of BDNF (Brain-derived
neurotrophic factor), which is one of the most important proteins
that maintain human wellness (Morrone,
2012).
BDNF is produced by the hippocampus while we are
sleeping and it is essential for growing, learning and change
processes called neural plasticity (brain ability to make new
connections) and neurogenesis (brain production of neurons)
(Morrone, 2012).
BDNF also helps to decrease the effects of excessive cortisol
produced during the stress response, reduce appetite, increase
memory ability, it is important for long term memory, and protect
the nervous system against injury and disease (Henson
& Rossouw, 2013).
When sugar intake inhibits the
production of BDNF, our brain become more rigid, as the ability to
produce neurons (neurogenesis) and make connections among them
(neuro plasticity) decrease (Henson
& Rossouw, 2013).
Regular exercises, regular quality
sleep, limiting intake of caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and
unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, increases the production
of BDNF (Henson & Rossouw,
2013).
Other consequences of too much sugar
are: Cavities, insatiable hunger, weight gain, insulin resistance,
diabetes, obesity, liver failure, pancreatic cancer, kidney
disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, addiction, cognitive
decline, nutritional deficiencies.
Challem (2007) argue that what we
eat affects not only our brain activity and physical body, but our
mood and behaviour. Although our brain needs an amount of sugar to
produce energy (only about six teas poons of sugar per day), if we
eat a lot of sugar, our blood sugar rises more then it should, and
our body and brain gets inundated by sugar. The result is that we
will feel restful, lazy and wanting to sleep (Challem,
2007).
On the other hand, if we do not eat
when we feel hungry, our blood sugar falls down, causing the
opposite effect (Challem, 2007).
Our brain reduces its activity and we become tired, weak,
irritable and impatient (Challem,
2007).
If you are hungry but far from home
and unable to eat healthy food, do not buy a soft drink or a
lolly, but, instead, buy an unsalted snack, cheese, meat or eggs.
It will make your blood sugar stabilise (Challem,
2007).
If you are stressed, you need even
more healthy food, with proteins, vitamins and minerals.
The effects of bad eating habits can
just be seeing in long term, however, the first signs of
malnutrition are mood and behaviour changes (Challem,
2007).
Our brain neurotransmitters depend
of the amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and small
carbohydrates we consume (Challem,
2007). Moreover, our feelings, thoughts and experience also
influence our brain and mood, affecting our reflexes and behaviour
(Challem, 2007).
Sweet foods, irregular sleeping
habits and late dinners, leads to a low level of blood sugar
making it more difficult to wake up in the morning. Many people
feel like they need a coffee to be alert in the morning, which
will cause even more problems (Challem,
2007).
Too much caffeine, sugar, low intake
of vitamins, minerals and proteins causes restlessness and anxiety
(Challem, 2007).
The media then will find easy to
exploit weak and anxious people by influencing them to buy their
products or ideas advertised on TV(Challem,
2007). Through the marketing strategy called FUD, which is
based on the concept that creating fear, uncertainty and doubt
(FUD), the population will buy products or ideas because something
bad may happen if they do not buy it. In other words, malnourished
people may be easily manipulated psychologically (Challem,
2007).
Mrs Glaucia Barbosa,
PACFA Reg. Provisional 25212
MCouns, MQCA(Clinical)
ABN: 19 476 932 954
References:
American Journal of Alzheimer’s,
2009; Journal of Gerontology,
2010; Behavioural Neuroscience,
2011; Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition
and Metabolic Care, 2013;
Nutrition Journal,
2013; Behavioural Neuroscience,
2013
American Journal of Physiology,
2008; American Journal of Physiology,
2009; British Journal of Nutrition,
2011; Advances in Nutrition,
2012
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2004; JAMA, 2004; International Journal of Obesity,
2006; Obesity Reviews,
2013
British Medical Journal,
2008; Advances in
Chronic
Kidney Disease, 2012
British Medical Journal, 2013;
American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013
Challem,
Jack. (2007). Health-AARP. New
Jersey, Canada: Jhon Wiley &
Sons.
Family Economics and Nutrition
Review, 1999; Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
1998; Circulation, 2002; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2003
Hypertension, 2001; American
Journal of Physiology, 2008; Journal of the American Society of
Nephrology, 2010; Hypertension, 2012; Hypertension, 2012
Henson,C.
& Rossouw, P. (2013).Brainwise
leadership. Sydney, Australia:
Learning
Quest.
JAMA,
2004; Diabetes Care, 2010; PLOS
ONE, 2013
Journal of the American Dental
Association, 2009; ISRN Dentistry, 2013; International Dental
Journal, 2013
Journal
of Hepatology, 2007; Journal of
Hepatology, 2008; World Journal
of
Gastroenterology, 2013
Journal of Hypertension, 2008;
American Journal of Cardiology, 2012; JAMA Internal Medicine, 2014
Journal of the National Cancer
Institute, 2002; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006;
Annals of Oncology, 2012; International Journal of Cancer, 2012;
Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, 2012
Morrone, L. (2012).
Sleep well again-Fall asleep quickly-Stay asleep longer-Wake up
refreshed. Oregon: harvest
House Publishers.
Obesity, 2002; Behavioural
Neuroscience, 2005; Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2007;
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2008; Appetite, 2011
PLOS ONE, 2008; Journal of the
American Society of Nephrology, 2010; Renal Physiology, 2011;
Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 2013
The American Journal of
Cardiology, 1999; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002;
Nutrition & Metabolism, 2005
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Como
o açúcar
afeta
nosso cérebro?
Veja
a resposta no video abaixo:
Açúcar
refinado aumenta os níveis de açúcar no sangue, e inibe a
produção de BDNF (factor neurotrófico derivado do cérebro),
que é uma das proteínas mais importantes que mantêm o bem-estar
humano (Morrone, 2012).
BDNF é produzido pelo hipocampo enquanto
estamos dormindo e é essencial para o crescimento, os processos
de aprendizagem e mudança chamados plasticidade neural
(capacidade do cérebro de fazer novas conexões) e neurogênese
(produção de neurônios do cérebro) (Morrone, 2012).
BDNF
também ajuda a diminuir os efeitos do cortisol excessivo
produzido durante a resposta ao estresse, redução do apetite,
aumento da capacidade de memória, é importante para a memória
de longo prazo, e protege o sistema nervoso contra ferimentos e
doenças (Henson & Ros, 2013).
Quando
a ingestão de açúcar inibe a produção de BDNF, o nosso
cérebro tornam-se mais rígido, pois a capacidade de produzir
neurônios (neurogenisis) e fazer conexões entre eles
(plasticidade neuro) reduz (Henson & Ros, 2013).
Exercícios
regulares, sono de qualidade regular, limitar ingestão de
cafeína, álcool, açúcar refinado e gorduras insaturadas e
ômega-3 ácidos graxos, aumenta a produção de BDNF (Henson &
Ros, 2013).
Outras
conseqüências do excesso de açúcar são: cáries, fome
insaciável, ganho de peso, resistência à insulina, diabetes,
obesidade, insuficiência hepática, câncer de pâncreas, doença
renal, pressão arterial alta, doença cardíaca, vício, declínio
cognitivo, deficiências nutricionais.
Challem
(2007) argumenta que o que comemos afeta não só a nossa
atividade cerebral e física, como também nosso humor e
comportamento. Embora o nosso cérebro precisa de uma quantidade
de açúcar para produzir energia (apenas cerca de seis colheres
de chá de açúcar por dia), se comemos muito açúcar, nosso
açúcar no sangue sobe mais do que deveria, e nosso corpo e
cérebro ficam inundados por açúcar. O resultado é que vamos
nos sentir lentos, preguiçosos e querer dormir (Challem, 2007).
Por
outro lado, se não comemos quando sentimos fome, o açúcar no
nosso sangue cai, causando o efeito oposto (Challem, 2007). Nosso
cérebro reduz a sua actividade e nos tornamos cansados, fracos,
irritados e impacientes (Challem, 2007).
Se
você estiver com fome, mas longe de casa e incapaz de comer
alimentos saudáveis, não compre um refrigerante ou um
doce, mas, em vez disso, compre um lanche sem sal, queijo, carne
ou ovos. Isso fará com que o açúcar no seu sangue se estabilize
(Challem, 2007).
Se
você está estressado, você precisa ainda mais ingerir alimentos
saudáveis, com proteínas, vitaminas e minerais.
Os
efeitos de maus hábitos alimentares só podem ser vistos a longo
prazo, no entanto, os primeiros sinais de desnutrição podem ser
vistos nas mudanças de humor e de comportamento (Challem, 2007).
Nossos
neurotransmissores cerebrais dependem da quantidade de vitaminas,
minerais, proteínas, hidratos de carbono que consumimos (Challem,
2007). Além disso, os nossos sentimentos, pensamentos e
experiência também influenciam o nosso cérebro e humor,
afetando nossos reflexos e comportamento (Challem, 2007).
Os
alimentos doces, hábitos de sono irregulares e jantares tardios,
levam a um baixo nível de açúcar no sangue, tornando mais
difícil para acordar pela manhã. Muitas pessoas sentem que
precisam de um café para estar alerta na parte da manhã, o que
causará ainda mais problemas (Challem, 2007).
Excesso
de cafeína, açúcar, baixa ingestão de vitaminas, minerais e
proteínas provocam inquietação e ansiedade (Challem, 2007).
Diante deste quadro, os meios de comunicação vão facilmente
explorar as pessoas ansiosas, influenciando-as
a comprar seus produtos ou idéias anunciados na TV (Challem,
2007). Através da estratégia de marketing chamada FUD, que é
baseada
no conceito de que criando
medo, incerteza e dúvida (FUD), a população vai comprar
produtos ou idéias, porque teme
que algo de ruim pode
acontecer com elas se elas
não comprem.
Em outras palavras, as pessoas desnutridas podem
ser facilmente manipuladas
psicologicamente (Challem, 2007).
Mrs Glaucia Barbosa,
PACFA Reg. Provisional 25212
MCouns, MQCA(Clinical)
ABN: 19 476 932 954
References:
American Journal of Alzheimer’s,
2009; Journal of Gerontology,
2010; Behavioural Neuroscience,
2011; Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition
and Metabolic Care, 2013;
Nutrition Journal,
2013; Behavioural Neuroscience,
2013
American Journal of Physiology,
2008; American Journal of Physiology,
2009; British Journal of Nutrition,
2011; Advances in Nutrition,
2012
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2004; JAMA, 2004; International Journal of Obesity,
2006; Obesity Reviews,
2013
British Medical Journal,
2008; Advances in
Chronic
Kidney Disease, 2012
British Medical Journal, 2013;
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013
Challem,
Jack. (2007). Health-AARP. New
Jersey, Canada: Jhon Wiley &
Sons.
Family Economics and Nutrition
Review, 1999; Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
1998; Circulation, 2002; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2003
Hypertension, 2001; American
Journal of Physiology, 2008; Journal of the American Society of
Nephrology, 2010; Hypertension, 2012; Hypertension, 2012
Henson,C.
& Rossouw, P. (2013). Brainwise
leadership. Sydney, Australia:
Learning
Quest.
JAMA,
2004; Diabetes Care, 2010; PLOS
ONE, 2013
Journal of the American Dental
Association, 2009; ISRN Dentistry, 2013; International Dental
Journal, 2013
Journal
of Hepatology, 2007; Journal of
Hepatology, 2008; World Journal
of
Gastroenterology, 2013
Journal of Hypertension, 2008;
American Journal of Cardiology, 2012; JAMA Internal Medicine, 2014
Journal of the National Cancer
Institute, 2002; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006;
Annals of Oncology, 2012; International Journal of Cancer, 2012;
Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, 2012
Morrone, L. (2012).
Sleep well again-Fall asleep quickly-Stay asleep longer-Wake up
refreshed. Oregon: harvest
House Publishers.
Obesity, 2002; Behavioural
Neuroscience, 2005; Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2007;
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2008; Appetite, 2011
PLOS ONE, 2008; Journal of the
American Society of Nephrology, 2010; Renal Physiology, 2011;
Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 2013
The American Journal of
Cardiology, 1999; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002;
Nutrition & Metabolism, 2005
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